Nearly 5 million children are still dying annually before their fifth birthday: Here’s why

© UNICEF/David Boman A woman holds a newborn baby inside the labour ward of a hospital in Sokoto state, Nigeria. Facebook Twitter Print Email An estimated 4.9 million children died before their fifth birthday in 2024, including 2.3 million newborns, according to new United Nations estimates released on Tuesday – highlighting a worrying slowdown in global progress on child survival. Most of these deaths are preventable with proven, low-cost interventions and access to quality health care, the report stresses. For the first time, the analysis provides a comprehensive picture of not only how many children are dying and where – but also why, by fully integrating global estimates on causes of death. The Levels and Trends in Child Mortality report launched by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation shows that, although under-five deaths have fallen by more than half since 2000, the pace of reduction has slowed by more than 60 per cent since 2015. Among its key findings, more than 100,000 children aged between one month and five, died directly from severe acute malnutrition – the first global estimate of such deaths – with some of the highest numbers recorded in Pakistan, Somalia and Sudan. Experts warn the true toll is likely higher, as malnutrition weakens immunity and increases vulnerability to other diseases, while many cases go unrecorded. “No child should die from diseases that we know how to prevent. But we see worrying signs that progress in child survival is slowing – and at a time where we’re seeing further global budget cuts,” said Catherine Russell, Executive Director for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).  © UNICEF/Rachit Arora A mother holds her newborn baby in the Special Newborn Care Unit at a hospital in Uttar Pradesh, India. Infectious diseases remain a major threat, with the nine leading infections accounting for 43 per cent of under-five deaths globally.  Beyond the first month of life, illnesses such as malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia continue to be leading causes of death, particularly in high-burden settings.  Deaths remain concentrated in a handful of endemic countries – including Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, and Nigeria – where conflict, climate shocks, invasive mosquitos, drug resistance, and other biological threats continue to affect access to prevention and treatment. Newborn deaths now account for nearly half of all under-five mortality, reflecting slower progress in preventing deaths around the time of birth. Complications from preterm birth and those arising during labour and delivery are the leading causes, alongside infections. Geographical disparities remain stark.